E-Week for Jan. 10

Posted:
01/10/2013 01:00:00 AM EST

Thursday January 10, 2013

Jan. 11

Claudia Schmidt in Concert

BENNINGTON -- For almost four decades Claudia Schmidt has been exploring the nuances of acoustic music with her voice, 12 string guitar and mountain dulcimer. From intimate theatres to large venues, her craft is at its height. www.uubennington.orgCyrus Chestnut Trio

MIDDLEBURY -- Virtuosic and playful, jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut's hard-swinging, soulful music blends contemporary jazz, traditional jazz, and gospel, with a taste of Latin and samba. "His brand of crisp articulation and blues inflected harmony evokes another era. . . . multi-faceted and dynamic" said the New York Times.

HYDE PARK -- A leisurely literary-inspired weekend includes dinner and a discussion of Emma. Enjoy afternoon tea in a The Governor's House, a beautiful old mansion, a talk on Regency fashion, brunch and the Jane Austen quiz.

COLCHESTER -- Experience live classical music with a program of works by Mozart, Berwald, and Gounod. The wind section takes center stage with a "7-8-9" program featuring Berwald's Grand Septet, an arrangement of Mozart's Magic Flute for octet, and Gounod's Petite Symphonie for nine winds. www.bcovt.org

CHITTENDEN -- Jan. 12 - 13 One great feature of the Eastern Cup is that although it attracts some of the nation's top skiers, it's not just for the very fastest cross-country ski racers. Athletes of all speeds get to compete side-by-side. At The Mountain Top Inn, this race is open to the public and quite a sight to see. www.nensa.net

Jan. 16

Presentation by Local Author of "The Eskimo and the Oil Man"

PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- The Arctic century is upon us. A great jockeying for power and influence has erupted between nations in the high north. At stake is trillions of dollars in profit or loss, US security, geopolitical influence, and the fate of a fragile environment as well as the region's traditional people. As the ice melts and oil companies venture north, the polar regions are becoming the next Saudi Arabia, the next Panama Canal.

Please join us on Wednesday, Jan. 16 from 7-8:30 p.m. as local author, Bob Reiss gives a thought provoking presentation to delve into this issue.

Bob spent three years traveling to the US high north to tell this story through the eyes of two men, one an Inupiat Eskimo leader on Alaska's North Slope, the other the head of Shell Oil's Alaska Venture, which seeks to drill for oil offshore in 2013. Their tale is set against the background of an undersea land rush in the Arctic, of Russian bombers appearing off Alaska's coasts recently, of rapid changes in ice that will effect millions of sea mammals and effect the day to day lives of every American, in their cities and towns and also in their pocketbooks.

To get this story Bob Reiss spent time with scientists, diplomats, military planners, Eskimo whale hunters and politicians at the highest levels of Washington. He traveled to remote villages and sailed on a US icebreaker.

Shell hopes to drill off Alaska in 2013 and the fight will make headlines.

The Mayor of the North Slope seeks to protect his people's 4,000 year old culture yet guarantee them income. The story begins as a fight and in the end the Eskimo and the Oil Man reflect the issues dividing every American community wrestling with the balance between energy use and environmental protection.

Jan. 18

John McEuen with Alpin Hon

WOODSTOCK -- Featuring Nitty Gritty Dirt Band founder and acclaimed multi-instrumentalist John McEuen, teaming up with Julliard-trained and award winning pianist Alpin Hong. This is a classic show of violin versus fiddle, bluegrass with Beethoven, and two generations apart coming together. www.pentanglearts.org

The Method Gun: The Rude Mechanicals

MIDDLEBURY -- Jan. 18 - 19 The New York Times dubbed the Rude Mechanicals as one of three ensemble-theatre companies in the country "making theatre that matters." Their daring play The Method Gun explores the life of Stella Burden, actor and training guru of the ‘60s and ‘70s.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- Jan. 18-19 Williams College presents "Mozart's Figaro, Unplugged" at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 18 and 19 in the Adams Memorial Theatre at the ‘62 Center for Theatre and Dance. This unplugged interpretation of acts two and four of Mozart's opera The Marriage of Figaro departs from opera's traditional production by forgoing intricate stage setting and elaborate costumes.

The show is open to the public. Tickets are $5 for the general public and $3 for Williams students and will be available for purchase starting Jan. 8 by calling the ‘62 Center box office at 413-597-2425 or online at 62center.williams.edu.

"Mozart's Figaro, Unplugged" features a full orchestra and a cast of students from Williams and other colleges, professional singers, and local artists. The music is directed by Keith Kibler, artist associate in voice, and the show is staged by Jean-Bernard Bucky, William Dwight Whitney Professor of Arts and Theatre. Richard Giarusso ‘00, who currently teaches at the Peabody Conservatory, conducts the performance. The opera is sung in English.

"Acts two and four of The Marriage of Figaro are among the most lively and transcendent acts in all of opera," says Bucky. "Our goal for this staging of Figaro is to have the audience engage directly with the heart of Mozart's drama through the music." This event is made possible thanks to support from the office of the Dean of the Faculty.

Jan. 19

Vermont Storyteller at Bennington Free Library

Tom Weakley, a local storyteller who has entertained adult and family audiences for 25 years, will share his new collection of stories at the Bennington Free Library on Saturday, Jan.19 at 2 p.m. The program is co-sponsored by The Bennington Bookshop and it will be held in the Rotary Room of the Library, located at 101 Silver Street in Bennington.

Weakley has recorded stories on six CDs, three of which won national awards. He was twice invited to appear at The National Storytelling Festival in Tennessee. In 2003 he performed at the National Book Festival on the Washington Mall at the invitation of First Lady Laura Bush. Weakley retired from the stage in 2008. He and his wife, Barbara, live in Arlington.

The Bennington Free Library is wheelchair accessible. Call 802-442-9051 or visit benningtonfreelibrary.org for more information.

All Shook Up Comedy Night

BURLINGTON -- Laughter that makes a difference! Comediennes Josie Leavitt, Tracie Spencer, Autumn Spencer an Sue Schmidt perform in the FlynnSpace for a laugh-fest to benefit the Joe Shook Scholarship Fund, to send kids with disabilities to Partners In Adventure summer camps. www.flynntix.org

Bow Thayer Album-Release Celebration

RANDOLF -- Central Vermont's favorite rocker and his band Perfect Trainwreck debut music from their much-anticipated album. www.chandler-arts.org

VINS - Winter Wildlife Celebration

QUECHEE -- Explore local winter wildlife with knowledgeable educators and relax by the campfire with refreshments. www.vinsweb.org

HINESBURG -- Learn techniques to personalize your outdoor spaces with a one-day stone wall building workshop on Jan. 19, Feb. 9, March 9 or 23. The workshops are held in warm greenhouses and are led by Vermont stonemasons trained through Britain's Dry Stone Walling Association and featured in Vermont Life Magazine. www.queencitysoilandstone.com

KILLINGTON -- This year's Monster Energy K-Town Showdown has three events: two rail jams and a slopestyle. Open to both skiers and riders of all ages. With six divisions, there's several prizes are up for grabs.

Burns Supper

WARREN -- The West Hill House B&B hosts an evening of dinner, dancing, bagpipes and a wee dram of single malt recognizing the 254th birthday of the Scottish bard, Robert Burns. www.westhillbb.com/specials-and-packages/offers/holiday-feasts

Heritage WinterFest

Jan. 26 - 27 Smugglers' Notch Resort Celebrate Winter with a guided snowshoeing nature walk at Smugglers' Nordic Center, and sleigh rides, children's story hour, a lasagna dinner, family contra dance, bonfire and fireworks. The Primitive Biathlon is on Saturday and Sunday at the Sterling Ridge Inn near Smuggs and spectators are welcome.

Bolton Valley Resort Learn the basics of backcountry skiing or ow to improve your telemark technique on some of Vermont's best terrain. A limited supply of backcountry and telemark equipment will be on hand to demo.

BURLINGTON -- Jan. 30 - Feb. 17 From Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies, a witty drama that discusses the sacrifices people are willing to make for their passions, their country, and their own well-being. A photojournalist who captures images of the Iraqi war, returns home injured. She and her reporter partner try to put their lives back together. www.flynntix.org

The Bennington Free Library continues its installation of Wall Works, "Landschap," which features recent works by Aimee LaPorte, through Jan. 31, 2013.

LaPorte's exhibition features paintings of area landscapes, the inspiration for this show's title, selections from a colonial inspired portrait series of beloved family pets and an ongoing series on bridges which incorporates mixed media elements.

LaPorte grew up and attended schools locally. She received her BA from Alfred University's School of Art and Design and MFA from The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, affiliated with Tufts University.

The Bennington Free Library is located at 101 Silver St. For information call 802-442-9051.

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